Two accused of child abuse after 7-year-old wanders onto highway in Aurora

AURORA, Neb. (KOLN) - A man and woman were arrested in Aurora after a barefoot child wandered onto a highway in the dark, police say.

The Aurora Police Department arrested 38-year-old Carrie Beck and 45-year-old Nathan Collingham on June 16. Beck faces six child abuse charges while Collingham faces five, all of which are class IIIA felonies.

An officer was called to a lot at the Green Meadows Estate around 10:40 p.m. on June 15. A caller reported a woman had been slapping a child and that five kids were sleeping in front of a camper on a lot.

Upon arrival, the officer found five children who were partially clothed in t-shirts and shorts, according to an arrest affidavit. Police wrote that the children were covered in bug bites, scratches and bruises.

Officers determined that the owner of the camper, Collingham, had temporary parental powers over the children. He told police that the children were allowed to sleep inside or outside at their own discretion.

But the officer noted that the tent was fit for two to three people and had been soaked in water. A tote with the children’s clothing was also left out in the driveway, court records show.

As the officer investigated, the children came up to ask if they were being taken away and asked if they could be left at another home. According to the affidavit, the children complained of their hunger, and the officer couldn’t find any food or water available to the kids nearby.

Police went through the camper to examine its living conditions, and the officer said it was cluttered with trash and belongings. Court records show the camper didn’t have enough room for the kids to sleep comfortably.

After collecting evidence, the officer returned to the station only to get two calls from the area after midnight. The callers reported a child wrapped in a blanket walking in the middle of Highway 34.

The officer found the child walking around without any shoes and identified him as one of the kids from the tent, the affidavit shows. The child said he’d been locked out of the camper after misbehaving.

Police went back to the camper and confronted Beck and Collingham. According to court records, Collingham said he had no intention of searching for the child.

Collingham was arrested following the comment, and Beck was taken into custody a short time later in reference to the living conditions and reported slapping.

The bonds for Beck and Collingham were initially set at 10% of $50,000, but Collingham’s bond was reduced to $5,000 which was posted on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Beck had a personal recognizance bond set for the original amount. Both are expected back in court later in July.

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